Package and like binding mechanism



Sept. 25, 1956 F. w. MOSEY PACKAGE AND LIKE BINDING MECHANISM 7Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 5

Se t. 25, 1956 F. w. MOSEY 2,764,033

PACKAGE AND LIKE BINDING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 5, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 2Sept. 25, 1956 F. w. MOSEY 2,764,083

PACKAGE AND LIKE BINDING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 5, 1951 7 Sheets-rSheet 5y i W Sept. 25, 1956 F. w. MOSEY 2,764,083

PACKAGE AND LIKE BINDING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 5, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 4l I N Sept. 25, 1956 F. w. MOSEY PACKAGE! AND LIKE BINDING MECHANISM 7Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 5, 1951 Sept. 25, 1956 F. w. MOSEY PACKAGEAND LIKE BINDING MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 5, 1951 Sept.25, 1956 F. w. MOSEY PACKAGE AND LIKE BINDING MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 7Filed Sept. 5, 1951 United States Patent Ofiice 2,764,083 PACKAGE ANDLIKE BINDING MECHANISM Frederick William Mosey, London, EnglandApplication September 5, 1951, Serial No. 245,220 16 Claims. (Cl.100-31) This invention is particularly concerned with that type ofpackage and like binding mechanism adapted to use a continuous flexibleelement from a supply and essentially comprising a connecting device foroverlapping portions of a loop of the said element around the package orthe like, means for severing the portion of the element extending to thenear side of the said connecting device from the said supply to form anend portion of the element and means for projecting this end portionlength- Wise for loading i. e. insertion or threading into the saidconnecting device for the next operation.

In one known arrangement such loading has been eflected by projectingthis free end lengthwise oi the ele ment directly into the connectingdevice. A principal object of the present invention is so to modify thisarrangement as to render the loading more certain, from which aspect theinvention provides for the free end to be projected to overlap theconnecting device and for the element then to be loaded therein byrelative transverse movement between the projected portion and the saiddevice.

The end portion of the flexible element may thus be projected into aposition out of the binding planes adjacent, e. g. in front of, aconnecting device in the said plane and can then be loaded transverselyinto the said device by movement more or less perpendicularly to theplane.

The loading of the flexible element into the connecting device mayconveniently be effected manually as the first step of the operatingcycle of the apparatus.

The end of the flexible element is preferably projected past and beyondthe connecting device, there to be en gaged by means adapted to drawback and load the flexible element into the said device, for whichpurpose the apparatus may include on the far side of the connectingdevice, a holding gripper which when open is adapted to receive theprojected end of the flexible element and by closing of which theelement is thus loaded.

Deflecting means may be provided on the near side of the connectingdevice for guiding the free end of The return movement of a gripperwhich at severing is left engaging the free end of the flexible elementon ing device, a combination of grippers movable diiferentially awayfrom and towards the latter, one for tensioning the loop of the flexibleelement around the pack age or the like by a relatively short outwardstroke and the other for projecting the severed end portion of arelatively long inward stroke, each gripper being adapted to 2,764,083Patented Sept. 25, 1956 permit passage of the element during theoperative stroke of the other. The short stroke gripper is preferablyarranged inwardly of the long stroke gripper, the two grippers beingshiftable simultaneously so as to separate as they move outwardly and toapproach one another as they return.

The gripper or each of the grippers used for tensioning and/ or proection, can conveniently be mounted on the terms near side and far sideis with reference to the sides (or ends) of the twisting pinion of thedevice and that end of the binding wire which is projected past orbeyond said pinion in the operation of the apparatus.

The wire may thus be projected angularly with respect to and preferablyacross the axis so as to incline away therefrom as it passes the pinionof the device. Projection of the wire end thus across the axis may beelfccted by mounting a gripper used for such projection on a swingingarm as hereinbefore suggested, in such a way that the gripper is movedaway from said axis as the arm swings outwardly and towards said axis asthe arm swings inwardly.

The apparatus according to the invention is particularly suitable forpartially automatic operation according to a cycle wherein, followingclosing of a far side holding gripper with consequent loading of theflexible eleing andprojecting means, prior to completion of the cycleautomatically.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will now be describedas embodied in the partially automatic wire binding machine apparatusshown in the accompanying drawings whereof:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the main operating mechanisms of a packageor like binding apparatus embodying the preferred form of the invention,which mechanisms are disposed beneath the package supporting top plateof the apparatus, a part of which plate is broken away from betterillustrative purposes.

Figures 1A, 1B and 1C are diagrams: to show the movements of the mainmechanisms of the apparatus during an operating cycle;

Figures 2A and 2B are vertical sectional views through a part of theapparatus as taken on the line 2A--2A on Fig. l and show, in sideelevation, the left hand (far side) holding gripper and its operatingmeans with the gripper respectively closed and open;

Figure 3 is a plan view (beneath the top plate or table) guide fingerwith their operating means;

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same assemblyomitting the guide finger and associated parts but including itsoperating cam;

Figures 5A and 5B are vertical sectional views as taken on the lineSA-SA of Fig. l and show in side elevation the said guide finger and itsoperating means, with the finger respectively retracted and projected;

Figures 6A and 6B are front elevation and plan views (beneath the topplate or table) respectively of the right hand tensioning and projectinggripper assembly, and Figure 6C a section along the line 6c-6c of Figure6B showing the tensioning gripper opened.

As can be seen from Figures 1, 1A, B and C, the general lay-out of theapparatus follows the well known standard practice in which an assembly1, comprising a twisting pinion connecting device In and cutter 1e and1] blades, near each side or end of the pinion, is associated with aholding gripper 2 as little removed as practicable beyond the cutter tothe left, when facing the front of the machine (he reinbefore called thefar side of the connecting device) and a tensioning gripper 3 at asuflicient distance out beyond the cutter to the right (hereinbeforecalled the near side of the connecting device) to clear the package forconvenience in training of the Wire into this gripper.

The training of the wire around the package or the like is carried outmanually, Figure 1A showing it fully trained with the wire end w1 heldby gripper 2, from which the wire extends through the twisting pinion,being continued thence as wire part W2 looped around the package backoppositely through the pinion from which wire part w3 extends to gripper3 and is continued beyond as wire part W4 to the supply coil (notshown).

The present machine has as special additional features, firstly a guidefinger 4 close in to the cutter to the right for engaging wire part W3when severed and positively deflecting it clear of the connecting deviceassembly for projection past it as the new wire end W1, and secondly anadditional right hand gripper 5 out beyond, and with a longer strokethan, gripper 3 for engaging the wire part w4 and moving therewith, thusto project the wire further than would be possible by relying on thereturn stroke of gripper 3 for this purpose.

These various mechanisms are arranged in the customary manner along andjust below the front edge of a package-supporting top plate or table 6not shown in Figures 1A, 1B and 10 but appearing in certain of the otherfigures.

After the wire has thus been trained and gripper 3 closed on to wirepart W3 this gripper is moved outwardly as indicated in Figure 1A,thereby to tension the loop w2 whilst gripper 5, which is movedsimultaneously and in the same direction as gripper 3, is able to moveout along wire part W4.

The connecting and severing assembly 1 is then operated in the usual wayto leave the wire as shown by the full lines in Figure 1B. Thereupongripper 2 is opened and guide finger 4 is projected to positionsindicated in this figure, thereby respectively releasing the wire endtailing w1 and deflecting the severed wire part w3 forwardly.

Next grippers 3 and 5 are returned inwardly to their normal positions asshown in Figure 1C, this time with gripper 5 in operative engagementwith wire part W4 and with gripper 3 open so that wire part w3 is ableto pass through it.

As a'result of the stroke of gripper 5 being longer than that of gripper3, wire part W3 when thus taken over by the former, becomes projected,deflected positively under the guidance of finger 4, past the twistingpinion assembly 1 in front of the slot in the pinion, which is directedhorizontally outwards when the pinion is at'rest, into gripper 2,the'opening of which is sufficient to enable it to receive the wire endthus projected. This considerable range of gripper 2 for the purpose ofengaging the wire end is a further special feature of the presentinvention.

Finally finger 4 is either retracted or released for retraction by thewire as it is loaded by being drawn back into the twisting pinion. Thislast mentioned'operation is effected by the closing of gripper 2, whichstep may be arranged to conclude the binding cycle. It can, however,alternatively be carried out manually by the operators leftha nd, towhich this gripper is conveniently accessible,

connecting device and cutter as the first step of the following cycle,thereby making it possible to avoid the use of the customary fingers orlike members for ejecting the tied connection from the twisting pinion,since the bound package is removed before the projected wire end isloaded into the pinion.

Following the closing of gripper 2 and the holding of the wire end W1and loading of wire part w3 into the twisting pinion consequent thereon,the operator, with his right hand, proceeds to remove the wire fromgrippers 3 and 5, loops the wire around the package, threading it againinto the pinion, and then into grippers 3 and 5 ready for completion ofthe cycle automatically. This automatic portion of the tensioning,connecting, severing, deflecting, gripper opening and projectingsequence may be initiated from a manual control conveniently accessibleto the right hand of the operator as he completes the manual trainingwith that hand, or in the form of a pedal.

The automatic portion of the sequence is power operated from acontinuously rotating motor through a single operation clutch which isadapted to be tripped by the aforementioned right hand manual control,none of which parts are however illustrated as they are preferablystandard. Tripping of this clutch results in a single rotation of themain cam shaft 7 which extends beneath the top plate 6 parallel with thefront edge thereof and behind the mechanisms before mentioned and whichare required to be operated, the power input from the clutch beingapplied to the shaft at gear 7a (see Figures 6A and B) thereon. Oneparticular apparatus adapted for driving the binding apparatus in theintermittent manner above described is disclosed in Harvey Patent No.2,134,187.

The actuation of the individual devices or mechanisms will next bedescribed, starting from the left hand end.

Referring firstly to Figures 2A and 2B, the holding gripper 2 comprisesa rear fixed jaw 2a and a forward movable jaw 21; adapted to beprojected automatically by the high part of cam 2c acting through thefollower roller 2d on lever 26 against tension spring 2 tourelease thewire end tailing W1 and to leave the jaw 2b fully projected as shown inFigure 2B for the reception of the fresh wire end.

Retraction of jaw 2b to close the gripper is effected under manualcontrol of a ratchet lever and gear arrangement including a lever handle2g pivoted coincident and movable together with a pinion 2h adjacent afixed ratchet segment 2 This pinion meshes through anotherpinion 21'with the toothed underside of said jaw. A spring pressed pawl 2k issopivotally mounted on said lever as toengage said ratchet segment forholding said jaw projected until the pawl is lifted by grip 21, which isalso pivoted on the lever, to permit lowering of the latter andretraction of the said jaw, under the influence of the said spring 27",to the position shown in Fig. 2A. The cam 20 is so contoured as not tointerfere with full such closing of the gripper immediately the highpart of the cam has passed roller M.

If it is desired to actuate gripper ly, the manual control and itsassociated gear may be omitted, without alteration of the timing of theearn, the high part of which must in any case have cleared roller 2dbefore the rotation of shaft 7 is completed.

Turning now to the construction and operation of the bladeassembly shownin Figures 3 and 4, the twisting pinion lais actuated in the ordinarywell known manner hrough a gear train 1b, 10, from a toothed quadrant 1don shaft 7 adapted to come into effective operation following tensioningof the wire to impart to the pinion the required number of turns, saythree, and a fraction over for overtwist. The respective cutter blades1e and 1f are mounted at the top of spring-loaded plungers lgverticallymovable one at each end of the twisting'pinion, the blade 1e onthe farside of the connecting device adapted to sever the wire part w1 which isrearwardly placed within the pinionand the blade -If on the near side ofsaid device the forwardly placed 2 entirely automaticalavenues Wire partW3. The two plungers 1g are adapted to be lifted together on completionof the twisting pinion actuation, by lug 1h on shaft 7 engaging androcking lever 11', the forward end of which is connected with theplungers through the cross rod lj between them.

Referring still to Figure 3, but now in conjunction with Figures A andB, guide finger 4 is adapted when retracted to leave the wire parts W2and w3 entirely free but when extended to engage part w3 within slot 4a.The movement of finger 4 is simply controlled from cam 4b on shaft 7through follower roller 4c on lever 4d against tension spring 42. If thelatter is omitted the transverse loading movement of wire part w3 may besuffrcient to draw back the finger but cannot be relied on to do sofully.

It now remains to describe the right hand gripper assembly withreference to Figures 6A, B, and C. The tensioning gripper 3 and theprojecting gripper 5 are each respectively mounted on a lever arm 3a and5a, the former arranged inwardly of the latter, that is, closer to theconnecting device than the latter. These arms are independently pivotedto swing horizontally beneath the level of the top plate 6 and in theirnormal positions to extend in substantial parallelism with one anotherand substantially perpendicularly to the binding plane. Gripper 3 isadapted to engage the wire only as its arm 3a swings outwardly away fromthe connecting device and similarly gripper 5 is adapted to engage thewire only as its arm 5a swings inwardly toward the connecting device.

The two arms 3a-5a are required to be swung simultaneously by means suchthat the amplitude of swing of arm 5a is greater than that of arm 3a.The grippers consequently separate from one another as the arms swingout away from the connecting device and collapse together as theyreturn, thus enabling gripper 5a to take a hold on the wire suflicientlyfar out to return it through the required greater distance than thatthrough which it was moved in tensioning.

The means for thus swinging the arms consists of cam 3b on shaft 7.Roller 3c on the intermediate horizontally swinging lever 3d is adaptedto follow the cam groove whereby this lever is moved positively in bothdirections. A link 3e extends from the forward end 'of the lever intotelescopic relationship with the collar Sr and is held therein by pin3;). The collar Sr .is connected to the gripper arm 3a and incorporatesa compression spring 3 between threaded members 3g and collar 3r tocushion the tensioning stroke of the latter subject to adjustment by therotatable threaded member 3g. By arranging link 3e well forwardly towardthe free end of gripper arm 3a a relatively short stroke is imparted tothe latter. The link 5b from lever 3d to arm 5a is on the other handarranged further back on the arm toward the pivot 50 to impart arelatively long stroke to the latter. This diiierential effect can beincreased by making arm 5a shorter than arm 3a, the pivot 50 about whicharm 5a swings being positioned forwardly of the pivot 3h of arm 3a tomaintain grippers 3 and 5 in alignment when arms 5a and 3a aresubstantially parallel.

The tensioning gripper 3 is adapted to be opened positively just beforesevering of the wire part W3, mainly to avoid the buckling of the wirebetween grippers 3 and 5 which might otherwise occur due to the variableextent of the outward jump of the former towards the latter under theinfluence of spring 3] according to the applied tension, immediatelysevering takes place. It is an added advantage for gripper 3 to continueto be held open positively in order to ensure free feeding of wirethrough it by gripper 5 during the return of the arms and to facilitatethe subsequent removal and insertion of the Wire when training it fromand into gripper 3.

The opening and closing of gripper 3 is controlled in this way from cam31' on shaft. 7 for engagement with which a tail 3 of the lower jaw 3mof the gripper is extended downwardly and also laterally to banjo formto cover the range of the outward swing of arm So. It will be noted thatthe edge 3k which follows the cam is curved to correspond with thisswing. The high part'of the cam acts .to thrust open jaw 3 againsttension spring 3l, this cam being timed so that the gripper is permittedto close at the beginning of the automatic sequence just before cam 3bstarts to operate and is opened immediately before severing. Instead oflaterally extending jaw 3 to cover the swing of arm 3a, cam 3i might becorrespondingly extended and shaped.

Reference to Figures 1A and IE will make clear that by mounting grippers3 and 5 on arms adapted to swing back behind the axis of the twistingpinion and therefore behind the binding plane, the severed wire part w3tends to be directed by gripper 5 angularly across the said axis andplane in front of the pinion in the required manner, guide finger 4providing proper support for the wire adjacent the pinion to ensure thatit shall in fact pass the latter as required.

It is enough for gripper 5 to be of a simple type adapted to hold thewire lightly and capable of sliding outwardly along it, with provisionas shown for manual opening for purposes of wire training. Alternativelyopening and closing of gripper 5 may be effected automatically as itapproaches and leaves its normal position, e. g. by abutment againstgripper 3, but this arrangement suffers from the disadvantage thatgripper 5 is not then available for holding the projected wire endbefore closing of gripper 2. The gripper 5 comprises a serrated jaw 5dpivotally mounted about pivot 5e to engage upper jaw 5 and clamp abinding element therebetween during the projecting stroke. Coil spring5g engages manual control 511 to urge the jaws into engagement. Duringtensioning, however, the binding element will freely slide between thejaws. Automatic operation of jaw 5a is eifected by engagement of rod 3ntherewith, though this is not essential, as described above.

What I claim is:

1. In a package or like binding apparatus, means for connecting twoportions of a loop of flexible binding element around the package or thelike, means for severing the said element extending to the near side ofsaid connecting means from a supply to form an end portion, means forprojecting said supply end portion lengthwise for operative engagementwith said connecting means, said projecting means including a pair ofgrippers which remain between said severing means and said supply, andmeans for moving said grippers simultaneously outwardly from andinwardly towards said connecting means, one of said grippers beingoperative to grip said element during its outward stroke which isrelatively short for ten sioning said loop onto the package or the like,and the other of said grippers being operative to grip said elementduring its inward stroke which is relatively long for effecting saidprojection of said supply end portion, each said gripper being adaptedto permit passage of the element during its opposite stroke.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said short stroke gripperis arranged between said connecting means and said long stroke gripper,and said means for moving said grippers simultaneously is adapted toseparate said grippers during their outward stroke and to cause them toapproach each other during their inward stroke.

for moving said grippers simultaneously is operative to swing said armstowards and way from said connecting means with said short and longstrokes respectively.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means for swingingsaid lever arms engages said long stroke lever and includes a thirdlever connected to both said arms, the connection between said thirdlever and said short stroke arm including resilient means for cushioningthe outward tensioning stroke of the latter.

5. In a package or like binding apparatus, means for connecting twoportions of a loop of flexible binding elejecting gripper means beingoperative during its inward stroke to grip and effect such projection ofsaid supply end portion into "an overlapping laterally spaced relationwith said conncctin'gmeans, and means for moving said supply end portionwhen thus projected laterally with respect to said connecting means forloading it into operative position therein. I v

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, whereinsaid projecting grippermeans includes gripping portions to continuously engage the supply endportion and to retain said supply end portion after an operation of saidsevering means. v v I '7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, includingmeans a for directmanual control of said means for causing said lateralloading movement.

*8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said projecting grippermeans includes a pair of grippers and means for moving themsimultaneously both outwardly and inwardly, one of said grippers beingoperative to grip said element during its outward stroke which isrelatively short for tensioning said loop onto the package or the like,and the other of said grippers being operative to grip said elementduring its inward stroke which'is relatively long for efiecting saidprojection of said supply end portion, each said gripper'being adaptedto permit passage of the element duringits opposite stroke.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said projecting grippermeans includes tensioning means operative during its outward stroke toengage said element and to tension said loop onto the package or thelike.

10. Apparatusas'set forth in claim 5, wherein said projecting'gripp'errneans includes directing means to direct said supply endportion out ofthe binding plane'of said loop'during said inward'stroke.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said means for causingsaid lateral loading movement consists *of'a *holding'gripper on the'farside of said connect 'ing 'rneans, laterally shiftabl-e between an openand an aligned'closed position, which holding gripper is adapted whenopen to receive said supply end portion and in closing thereon to moveit laterally as required.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said means for causingsaid lateral loading Lrnoveme'nt is adapted to engage said supply endportion beyond said connecting means.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, includingtmeans between saidsevering means and said projecting gripper eans movable into operativeposition for guiding said supply end portion into said overlappinglaterally spaced relation with said connecting means.

14. In a packageo-r like binding apparatus, means for connecting twoportions of :a loop of flexible binding wire around the package or thelike and including a rotatable twisting pinion having a wire receivingslot, means for severing said element extending to the near side of saidpinion from a supply to form an end portion of s-aid wire gripper meansfor projecting said supply end portion lengthwise and movable outwardlyfrom and inwardly towards said connecting means while remaining betweensaid severing means and said supply, said projecting gripper means'beingoperative during its inward stroke to engage and effect such projectionof said supply end portion into an overlapping laterally spaced relationwith said connecting means opposite said slot when said pinion'is atrest, and means for engaging said supply'end portion when thus projectedand drawing it laterally towards the axis of said pinion for loading itinto operative position within said slot.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said projecting prippermeans is adapted to direct said supply end portion across said axis sothat it inclines away from said pinion as itpasses the latter.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said projecting grippermeans is associated with a lever arm whereby said "supply end portion iscaused to be so directed by said gripper means as said arm swingstowards said'pinion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

